Springsteen, who had been friends with Clemons for 40 years, was among the mourners who attended a two-hour service for the musician at the Royal Poinciana Chapel in Palm Beach on Tuesday.

"Clarence was a man of unconditional love, but his love came with a lot of conditions," the Palm Beach Daily News quotes Springsteen as saying in his eulogy. "He was a complex guy... an ongoing project, but when you were in his presence, it was like being in a sovereign nation."

Springsteen spoke of his grief at Clemons's death in a statement posted on his official website last week, saying that the saxophonist's "life, memory and love" will live on through his music and the E Street Band.

"He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage," said Springsteen.

"His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly 40 years. He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music."